Roof system with rows of superimposed tiles

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a roof system with rows of superimposed tiles ( 1 ) comprising rafters ( 4 ) and parallel horizontal shingles ( 2 ) fixed to the rafters, each shingle ( 2 ) consisting of a shaped section having an upper planar support surface ( 2   c ) partly present on a catching wing ( 2   b ) projecting upwards, in the direction of the slope of the roof, whereon is engaged, further down, at least a hook ( 1   a ), open downwards, formed on the low marginal part of the bottom surface ( 1   b ) of each tile of an upper row. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a rail ( 3 ) fixed, in the direction of the slope, on the upper surface of each rafter ( 4 ), said rail ( 3 ) being provided, on its top surface, with elements ( 3   a   , 3   b ) maintaining in place each shingle ( 2 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof system with rows ofsuperimposed tiles for a bearing structure.

[0002] Tiled roofs generally comprise, in order to support these tiles,horizontal shingles fixed at a predetermined distance from one anotherdepending on the length of each tile, these shingles in turn being fixedon the upper surfaces of the rafters of a framework. In a roof systemdescribed in Patent GB-A-2 260 230, each shingle is constituted by ahollow shaped section, of rectangular cross-section, of which the uppersurface is extended upwardly, in the direction of the slope of the roof,by a coplanar wing. This wing serves to catch the tiles of which each isprovided, on the lower down marginal part of its lower surface, withhooks intended to engage from top to bottom on the wing of the section,in order to ensure positioning of the tile and its maintenance in place.

[0003] The present invention concerns improvements relating to theafore-mentioned roof system, with a view to simplifying itsimplementation and to substantially reducing its cost price.

[0004] To that end, this roof system with rows of superimposed tiles fora bearing structure comprising rafters inclined on the horizontal andparallel horizontal shingles fixed to the rafters, at a distance fromone another depending on the length of the tiles, each shingle beingconstituted by a shaped section having an upper planar support surfacepartly present on a catching wing projecting upwards, in the directionof the slope of the roof, on which is downwardly engaged at least onedownwardly open hook formed on the lower down marginal part of the lowersurface of each tile of a higher up row, is noteworthy in that itcomprises a rail fixed, in the direction of the slope, on the uppersurface of each rafter, this rail being provided, on its upper surface,with elements maintaining each shingle in place.

[0005] A form of embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinafter by way of non-limiting example, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

[0006]FIG. 1 is a partial view in perspective of a roof system with rowsof superimposed tiles according to the invention.

[0007]FIG. 2 is a view in vertical and transverse section made alongline II-II of FIG. 1.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a view in vertical and transverse section, on a largerscale, illustrating the superposition of two tiles and their assembly ona shingle.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of a tile used in the roof system.

[0010] The roof system according to the invention comprises rows oftiles 1 which are maintained in place by parallel horizontal shingles 2.These horizontal shingles 2 are fixed, at a constant distance from oneanother, on parallel rails 3 themselves fixed, for example by means ofscrews, on the upper surfaces of rafters 4 of a framework (FIG. 2). Thetiles 1, of rectangular shape, are joined to one another, by their largesides, in the horizontal direction and they overlap one anotherslightly, in conventional manner, by their higher up and lower downmarginal parts. In the following description, the expressions “higherup” and “lower down” must be considered as referring to the slope of theroof, while the expressions “lower” and “upper” must be considered asreferring to parts of the tiles 1, shingles 2 and rails 3 in thepositions that they occupy once placed in position.

[0011] Each shingle 2 is constituted by a shaped section made of metalor plastics material, in particular of light alloy or polyvinylchloride.Each shingle 2 comprises a web 2 a which extends substantiallyperpendicularly to the rail 3 on which the shingle 2 is fixed and whichis extended, at its upper end, by a catching wing 2 b extendingupwardly, in the direction of the slope. The upper end of the web 2 aand the upper surface of the catching wing 2 b which are coplanarjointly define a planar upper support surface 2 c. As is illustratedmore particularly in FIG. 3, the upper wing 2 b engages in at least onedownwardly open hook 1 a which is formed, in the lower down part of thetile 1, on the lower face 1 b of this tile. The upper catching wing 2 bserves as support for the lower down marginal part of a tile 1 of ahigher up row which is maintained in place by its hook or hooks 1 a.

[0012] At its lower end, the web 2 a of the shingle 2 joins a base 2 dwhich extends substantially parallel to the rail 3 and which is defined,in its upper part, by a second planar support surface 2 e which extendsdownwardly, is located at a level lower than that of the first supportsurface 2 c and is parallel to the latter. The second support surface 2e serves as support for the higher up marginal part of a tile 1 of thelower down row located immediately below the tile 1 of the higher uprow. The distance between the planes of the first support surface 2 cand the second support surface 2 e is substantially equal to thethickness of each tile 1 so that the lower down marginal part of thetile 1 of the higher up row is substantially in contact, by its lowersurface, with the upper surface of the higher up marginal part of thetile 1 of the lower down row, this corresponding to the usual overlap oftwo superimposed tiles at that spot. It should be noted that, to allowthe regular superposition of the tiles 1, the support surfaces 2 c and 2e are slightly inclined upwardly in the direction of the rails 3, so asto give this same inclination to the tiles 1 which are all parallel toone another.

[0013] The tightness between the tiles of the higher up and lower downrows may be reinforced at the places where they are superimposed, byproviding a horizontal groove (or rib) 1 c parallel to the lower downsmall side of the tile 1 of the higher up row and a rib (or groove) 1 don the upper surface of the higher up marginal part of the tile 1 of thelower down row. The positions of the groove and of the rib of each tile1 are such that they fit in one another when two tiles, once placed inposition, are superimposed.

[0014] Each shingle 2 may be fixed to the rails 3 by any appropriatemeans. According to a characteristic of the invention, each shingle 2and each rail 3 are preferably made so as to present respective couplingmembers which make it possible to fix a shingle 2 to a rail 3 by asimple movement of slide of the shingle 2, from top to bottom, on therails 3. To that end, each rail 3 presents, on its upper surface, twohooks distant from each other in the direction of the slope, namely anupstream hook 3a and a downstream hook 3 b, i.e. located lower down thanthe preceding one, these two hooks being upwardly open. For its part,the base 2 d of the shingle 2 presents, on its lower surface, anupstream catching element 2 f, whose shape is complementary of that ofthe upstream hook 3 a of the rail 3, and a downstream catching element 2g whose shape is complementary of that of the downstream hook 3 b of therail 3. The pair of hooks 3 a, 3 b of the rail 3 and the pair ofcatching elements 2 f, 2 g may comprise means ensuring clipping of theshingle 2 on the rail 3. In the non-limiting form of embodiment shown inFIG. 3, it is the pair of downstream catching elements 2 g, 3 g whichensures such clipping, the downstream hook 3 b of the rail 3 presentinga boss engaging in a hollow provided in the downstream catching element2 g of the shingle 2.

[0015] It is seen from the foregoing description that the roof systemaccording to the invention makes it possible to position the tiles andmaintain them in place in simple and rapid manner, ensuring a perfecttightness. Due to the superposition, over an appropriate length, of thetiles in the direction of the slope, the lower down part of a higher uptile ensures perfect hold of the higher up part of a lower down tile.The shingles 2 are positioned very easily and very rapidly by causingthem to slide downwardly over the upper faces of the rails 3 until theircoupling with these rails is obtained by means of the cooperation of thehooks 2 f, 3 a and 2 g, 3 b.

1. Roof system with rows of superimposed tiles (1) for a bearingstructure comprising rafters (4) inclined on the horizontal and parallelhorizontal shingles (2) fixed to the rafters, at a distance from oneanother depending on the length of the tiles, each shingle (2) beingconstituted by a shaped section having an upper planar support surface(2 c) partly present on a catching wing (2 b) projecting upwards, in thedirection of the slope of the roof, on which is downwardly engaged atleast one downwardly open hook (1 a) formed on the lower down marginalpart of the lower surface (1 b) of each tile of a higher up row,characterized in that it comprises a rail (3) fixed, in the direction ofthe slope, on the upper surface of each rafter (4), this rail (3) beingprovided, on its upper surface, with elements (3 a, 3 b) maintainingeach shingle (2) in place.
 2. Roof system according to claim 1,characterized in that the elements of each rail (3) maintaining theshingles (2) in place are constituted by a pair of hooks (3 a, 3 b)distant from each other in the direction of the slope, open upwardly,and cooperating with catching elements (2 f, 2 g) provided in the lowerpart of the shaped section of each shingle (2) and fitting in the hooks(2 f, 2 g) by a movement of slide from top to bottom of each shingle (2)over the rails (3).
 3. Roof system according to claim 2, characterizedin that the rail (3) and the catching elements (2 f, 2 g) of eachshingle (2) comprise means ensuring clipping of the shingle (2) on therail (3).
 4. Roof system according to any one of the preceding claims,characterized in that the shaped section of each shingle (2) presentsdownwardly, in the direction of the slope of the roof, a second planarsupport surface (2 e), located at a level lower than that of the uppersupport surface (2) for the higher up marginal part of each tile (1)belonging to the lower down row, the first and second support surfaces(2 c, 2 e) are parallel to each other and the distance between theirplanes is substantially equal to the thickness of each tile (1).
 5. Roofsystem according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that eachshaped section constituting a shingle (2) comprises a web (2 a)substantially perpendicular to the rail (3), joining the upper catchingwing (2 b) to a base (2 d) of the shaped section which extendsdownwardly and is substantially parallel to the rail (3), this base (2d) comprising, on its lower face, the catching elements (2 f, 2 g)cooperating with the hooks (3 a, 3 b) of the rail (3).
 6. Roof systemaccording to either one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that thefirst and second parallel support surfaces (2 c, 2 e) are slightlyinclined from bottom to top in the direction of the rails (3).
 7. Roofsystem according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized inthat each tile (1) presents, on the lower down marginal part of itslower face (1 b), a horizontal groove (or rib) (1 c), and on the higherup marginal part of its upper face, a horizontal rib (or groove) (1 d),the positions of the rib and of the groove being such that they fit ineach other when two tiles (1), once in place, are superimposed.